But reafon heard, and nature well perus'd,
At once the dreaming mind is difabus'd.

If all we find poffeffing earth, fea, air,
Reflect his attributes who plac'd them there,
Fulfil the purpose, and appear defign'd

Proofs of the wisdom of th' all-feeing mind,
'Tis plain the creature, whom he chofe t' invest
With kingship and dominion o'er the rest,
Receiv'd his nobler nature, and was made

Fit for the pow'r in which he ftands array'd,
That firft or laft, hereafter if not here,

He too might make his author's wisdom clear,
Praise him on earth, or, obftinately dumb,
Suffer his juftice in a world to come.

This once believ'd, 'twere logic mifapplied

To prove a confequence by none denied, That we are bound to caft the minds of youth Betimes into the mould of heav'nly truth,

That, taught of God, they may indeed be wife, Nor, ignorantly wand'ring, mifs the skies.

In early days the confcience has in most. A quickness, which in later life is loft:

Preferv'd from guilt by falutary fears,

Or, guilty, foon relenting into tears.

Too careless often, as our years proceed,

What friends we fort with, or what books we read,

Our parents yet exert a prudent care

To feed our infant minds with proper fare;
And wifely ftore the nurs'ry by degrees

With wholefome learning, yet acquir'd with ease.

Neatly fecur'd from being foil'd or torn

Beneath a pane of thin translucent horn,

A book (to please us at a tender age

'Tis call'd a book, though but a fingle page)

Presents the pray'r the Saviour deign'd to teach,

Which children ufe, and parfons-when they preachi Lifping our fyllables, we fcramble next

Through moral narrative, or facred text;

And learn with wonder how this world began,

Who made, who marr'd, and who has ranfom'd, man.

12

Points which, unless the scripture made them plain,
The wifeft heads might agitate in vain.

Oh thou, whom, born on fancy's eager wing
Back to the season of life's happy fpring,

I pleas'd remember, and, while mem❜ry yet
Holds faft her office here, can ne'er forget;
Ingenious dreamer, in whofe well-told tale
Sweet fiction and sweet truth alike prevail;
Whofe hum'rous vein, ftrong fenfe, and fimple style,
May teach the gayeft, make the gravest smile;
Witty, and well employ'd, and, like thy Lord,
Speaking in parables his flighted word;

I name thee not, left fo defpis'd a name
Should move a fneer at thy deferved fame
Yet ev'n in tranfitory life's late day,

That mingles all my brown with fober gray,

Revere the man, whofe PILGRIM marks the road,

And guides the PROGRESS of the foul to God.
'Twere well with moft, if books, that could engage

Their childhood, pleas'd them at a riper age;

The man, approving what had charm'd the boy,
Would die at last in comfort, peace, and joy;

And not with curfes on his art, who ftole

The gem of truth from his unguarded foul,
The stamp of artlefs piety, imprefs'd

By kind tuition on his yielding breast,

The youth now bearded, and yet pert and raw,
Regards with fcorn, though once receiv'd with awe;
And, warp'd into the labyrinth of lies,

That babblers, call'd philosophers, devise,
Blafphemes his creed, as founded on a plan
Replete with dreams, unworthy of a man.
Touch but his nature in its ailing part,
Affert the native evil of his heart,

His pride resents the charge, although the proof*
Rife in his forehead, and seem rank enough :
Point to the cure, defcribe a Saviour's cross

As God's expedient to retrieve his loss,

* See 2 Chron. ch. xxvi. ver. 19.

The young apoftate fickens at the view,

And hates it with the malice of a Jew.

How weak the barrier of mere nature proves,
Oppos'd against the pleasures nature loves!
While, felf-betray'd, and wilfully undone,
She longs to yield, no fooner woo'd than won.
Try now the merits of this bleft exchange
Of modeft truth for wit's eccentric range.
'Time was he clos'd, as he began, the day
With decent duty, not asham'd to pray;
The practice was a bond upon his heart,
A pledge he gave for a confiftent part;
Nor could he dare prefumptuously displease
A pow'r, confefs'd fo lately on his knees.
But now farewell all legendary tales-
The fhadows fly, philofophy prevails!

Pray'r to the winds, and caution to the waves;
Religion makes the free by nature slaves!